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Traveling into the United States From

Canada at Land Borders

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Restricted/Prohibited Plants

Acai (Euterpe spp.)

Achiote (Bixa spp.)

Almond (Prunus spp.)

American cotton palm (Washingtonia spp.)

Anikary palm (Syagrus spp.)

Apple (Malus spp.)

Apricot (Prunus spp.)

Ash (Fraxinus spp.)

Assai palm (Euterpe spp.)

Avellana (Gevuina spp.)

Barberry (Berberis spp.)

Bataua palm (Oenocarpus spp.)

Brazil bramble palm (Desmoncus spp.)

Bristle grass (Setaria spp.)

Cabbage palm (Euterpe spp.)

Cacao (Herrania spp., Theobroma spp.)
California fan palm (Washingtonia spp.)

Cherry (Prunus spp.)

Chilean wildnut  (Gevuina spp.)

Cricketvine (Arrabidaea, Fredericia spp.)

Crinkle bush (Lomatia spp.)

Fan palm (Mauritia spp.)

Fig (Ficus spp.)

Figi sago palm (Metroxylon spp.)

Flowering quince (Chaenomeles spp.)

Foxtail grass (Setaria spp.)

Foxtail millet (Setaria spp.)

Giant redwood (Sequoiandendron spp.)

Giriba palm (Syagrus spp.)

Golden larch (Pseudolarix spp.)Grape (Vitis spp.)

Grapevine (Vitis spp.)

Green botan (Sabal spp.)

Hazelnut (Gevuina spp.)

Hesper palm (Brahea spp.)

Hops (Humulus spp.)

Horse chestnut (Aesculus spp.)

Ite palm (Mauritia spp.)

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles spp.)

Jelly palm (Butia spp.)

Jicara (Euterpe spp.)

Kiwi (Actinidia spp.)

Larch (Larix spp.)

Licuri palm (Syagrus spp.)

Lipstick tree (Bixa spp.)

Longleaf Lomatia (Lomatia spp.)
Mango (Mangifera spp.)

Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia spp.)

Millet (Setaria spp.)

Monkey cacao (Herrania spp.)

Nectarine (Prunus spp.)

Okra (Abelmoschus spp.)

Ouricury palm (Syagrus spp.)

Palm (Acrocomia spp., Astrocaryum spp., Attalea spp., Bactris spp., Brahea

spp., Butia spp., Calamus spp., Desmoncus spp., Euterpe spp., Manicaria spp.,

Metroxylon spp., Oenocarpus spp., Oncosperma spp., Roystonea spp., Sabal

spp., Syagrus spp., Washingtonia spp.)

Palma real (Manicaria spp.)

Parsley fern (Lomatia spp.)

Peach (Prunus spp.)

Peanut (Arachis spp.)

Pear (Pyrus spp.)

Pindo palm (Butia spp.)

Pine (Pinus spp.)

Pinot (Euterpe spp.)

Plum (Prunus spp.)

Puerto Rico hat palm (Sabal spp.)

Puerto Rico palmetto (Sabal spp.)

Queen palm (Syagrus spp.)

Quince (Chaenomeles spp., Cydonia)

Raspberry (Rubus spp.)

Rattan cane (Butia spp.)

River Lomatia (Lomatia spp.)

Royal palm (Roystonea spp.)

Sago palm (Metroxylon spp.)

Sequoia (Sequoiandendron spp.)

Sikkim larch (Larix spp.)

Spiny palm (Bactris spp.)

Strawberry (Fraxinus spp.)

Thorny palm (Oncosperma spp.)

Tree of life (Mauritia spp.)

Trinidad palm (Sabal spp.)
Troolie palm (Manicaria spp.)

Wildnut (Gevuina spp.)

Winter’s bark (Drimys spp.)

Approved Growing Media

Baked expanded clay pellets

Coal cinder

Coir

Commercial potting soil or soil taken from any Canadian Province except from

an area of Canada regulated for potato cyst nematodes. Contact the Canadian

Food Inspection Agency for more information.

Cork

Glass wool

Organic and inorganic fibers

Peat

Perlite

Phenol formaldehyde

Plastic particles

Polyethylene

Polymer stabilized starch

Polystyrene

Polyurethane

Rock wool

Stockosorb® superabsorbent polymer

Vermiculite

Volcanic rock

Zeolite

Or any combination of the media listed here 
Seeds With Additional Requirements

Broomcorn (Sorghum spp.)

Canegrass (Chionachne spp.)

Caracan millet (Eleusine spp.)

Coix (Coix spp.)

Corn (Euchlaena spp., Zea spp.)

Cotton or cottontree (Gossypium spp.)

Finger millet (Eleusine spp.)

Grass (Pennisetum spp., Polytoca spp.)

Grass (Cenchrus spp.)

Job’s tears (Coix spp.)      

Kenaf (Hibiscus spp.)

Millet (Echinochloa spp., Eleusine spp. Panicum spp.)

Miscanthus (Miscanthus spp)

Okra (Abelmoschus spp.)

Potato (True seed of Solanum tuberosum)

Rivergrass (Chionachne spp.)

Rose mallow (Hibiscus spp.)

Sorghum (Sorghum spp.)

Zebra grass (Miscanthus spp.)

Prohibited Plant Materials

Alder (Alnus spp.)

Almond (Prunus spp.)

Apple (Malus spp.)

Apple (Malus spp.)

Apricot (Prunus spp.)

Apricot (Prunus spp.)

Cherry (Prunus spp.) 

Cherry laurel (Prunus spp.)
Chestnut (Castanea spp.) 

Cotton (Gossypium spp.)

Crabapple (Malus spp.)   English laurel (Prunus spp.)

English laurel (Prunus spp.)

Flowering quince (Chaenomeles spp.)

Grape (Vitis spp.)

Nectarine (Prunus spp.)

Peach (Prunus spp.)

Pear (Pyrus spp.)

Prune (Prunus spp.)

Quince (Cydonia spp.)

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.)

Witchweed (Striga spp.)

Prohibited Fruits and Vegetables

Allium (includes chives, garlic, garlic chives, green onion/Welsh onion, green

bunching onions, leeks, onion, ramps, scallions, and shallots): Fresh allium bulbs are

prohibited unless accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Canadian

Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) containing an additional declaration stating the

shipment is free of Acrolepiopsis assectella. Thoroughly dried allium bulbs (papery

skin) may enter without such documentation.

Arrowhead tuber: Arrowhead tubers are prohibited unless the traveler obtains a

PPQ Form 526, Noxious Weed Permit from APHIS.

Avocados

Bananas

Cherries: Fresh cherries grown in Ontario Province are prohibited. Fresh cherries

commercially grown in a Canadian Province other than Ontario may enter if

accompanied by documentation demonstrating the province of origin.
Fresh chestnuts

Citrus

Coconut (if liquid or husk is present)

Corn on the cob: Fresh corn grown in any Canadian province (except British

Columbia) is prohibited if destined for Arkansas, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho,

New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, or Utah. Fresh corn commercially

harvested in British Columbia with proof of origin may enter any U.S. State without

restriction.

Edible flowers: Only the following edible flowers from Canada can enter–Calendula

spp. (pot marigold), Tagetes spp. (marigold), Tropaeolum spp. (nasturtium), and

Viola spp. (johnny-jump-ups, pansies, and violets). Edible flowers not completely free

of stems and leaves will be prohibited entry.

European blackberries (Rubus fruticosus)

Guava

Okra

Papaya

Fresh peanuts (commercially packaged peanuts [raw, in shell, or roasted] labeled

as grown in Canada or the United Sates are allowed)

Peppers

Pineapple

Potatoes (50 pounds or less of commercially packaged potatoes labeled as grown

either in Canada or the United States are allowed)

Tomatoes

Tropical fruits and vegetables

Water spinach (fresh leaf, fresh green stem): Fresh perishable water spinach is

prohibited unless the traveler first obtains a PPQ Form 526, Noxious Weed Permit

from APHIS.
The United States restricts or prohibits the entry of many agricultural products,

which can carry foreign pests and diseases that harm American agriculture and our

environment. A major pest or disease outbreak could mean higher grocery bills,

shortages of certain foods, and devastating losses for farmers and ranchers.

Help us keep American agriculture healthy by following the guidance on this page

about products you may want to bring into the United States from Canada.

Declare Food, Plants, and Other Agricultural Items

Travelers entering the United States must declare all agricultural and wildlife

products to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. You must also tell them if

you visited a farm or were in contact with animals before traveling to the United

States.

U.S. agricultural inspectors will examine your items to be sure they meet entry

requirements and do not harbor harmful foreign pests or diseases. U.S. inspectors

have the authority to make a final determination about whether your products can

enter the country. We recommend that you keep receipts and original packaging of

agricultural products as proof of their country of origin.

As long as you declare all the agricultural products you are bringing with

you, you will not face any penalties—even if an inspector determines that

these products cannot enter the country.

The guidance below is intended only for travelers crossing at Canadian land borders;

it does not pertain to commercial shippers. Air travelers from Canada should refer

instead to the guidance for international travelers at Traveling From Another

Country.

Meat, Poultry, Dairy, Eggs, Pet Food, and Animal

Trophies
Use the Veterinary Services (VS) Permitting Assistant to understand

import requirements for animal products. This self-guided tool has the most

updated and comprehensive information, based on the type of materials you want to

bring in and the intended use.

Please note that commodities intended for "personal use" mean those in passenger

baggage or passenger vehicles. Commodities sent by mail are regulated as

"commercial" use.

Meat

Travelers may bring the following types of fresh (chilled, frozen), cooked, cured, or

dried meats from Canada: beef, bison, veal, sheep (lamb, mutton), goat, swine, and

camelid. Travelers may also bring personal-use amounts of foods containing beef,

veal, or bison.

Travelers may also bring personal-use amounts of cervid meat (deer, elk, moose,

caribou), including hunter-harvested cervid meat, provided they present the

Customs and Border Protection officer with evidence that the product is cervid meat,

such as a valid hunting license, commercially prepared labels found on unopened

packages, or other official documents.

There is a limit of 50 lbs. of meat per vehicle.

Poultry

In general, travelers may bring back personal-use amounts of poultry meat from

Canada. However, APHIS may implement temporary restrictions. Visit Imports:

Animal and Animal Products and view the “temporary restrictions” section.

There is a limit of 50 lbs. of poultry meat per vehicle.

Dairy Products

Travelers may bring back milk and other dairy products from Canada with proof of

Canadian origin, such as a package label, written documentation, proof of travel

(passport or travel itinerary), origin of flight, sales receipt, or a certificate.

Eggs or Egg Products
In general, travelers may bring back personal-use amounts of eggs or egg products

from Canada. However, APHIS may implement temporary restrictions when certain

avian diseases are present in North America. Before you travel, be sure to check for

any temporary restrictions.

Pet Food, Chews, and Treats

Travelers may bring back pet food, chews, and treats from Canada under the

following conditions:

The items must be in unopened retail packaging. 

Raw (not shelf-stable without refrigeration), dehydrated, freeze-dried, or sundried items must be labeled as a product of Canada or the United States.

There is a limit of 50 lbs. per vehicle. If you are traveling by air, the limit is 20

lbs. per family.

Animal Trophies

Trophies from Canada may enter with documentation that proves country of origin,

including a bill of lading; certificate of origin; invoice; document on official letterhead

prepared by the manufacturer, seller, outfitter, Provincial government, Tribal Nation,

shipper; or an official certificate issued by a veterinarian representing the Canadian

national government certifying the country of origin.  The trophies must be fully

finished or receive special processing upon entry. Learn More about Trophies and

Approved Establishments

Plants, Seeds, Cut Flowers, and Greenery

Plants

You may bring live plants produced in Canada to the United States if they meet the

following conditions:

You have a phytosanitary certificate from the Canadian Food Inspection

Agency.
You have an import permit for plants that are designated as restricted or

prohibited. These plants may potentially pose a threat to the health of U.S.

agriculture.

Your plants are bare rooted or in an approved growing medium. 

Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at the U.S. port of entry

determine that the plants are free of pests and diseases and meet all entry

requirements.

Plants that are protected under the Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) may require special

documentation. Call USDA’s Plant Import Information Line at 877-770-5990 (toll free)

or email us at plantproducts.permits@usda.gov for more information about bringing

plants into the United States, and about importing plants that are not produced in

Canada.

Seeds

Because all imports of seeds for planting that are produced in Canada require some

form of documentation, we strongly suggest that you buy your seeds in the United

States. If you want to transport seeds from Canada into the United States, you will

need to present either a phytosanitary certificate from the Canadian Food Inspection

Agency or a Small Lots of Seeds permit issued by APHIS.

Some seeds require other kinds of permits or documentation. Call USDA’s Plant

Import Information Line at 877-770-5990 (toll free) or email us at

plantproducts.permits@usda.gov for more information about bringing seeds into the

United States, and about importing seeds that are not produced in Canada.

Fresh Cut Flowers

USDA defines cut flowers as the fresh, cut portion of a plant that is imported for

decoration or ornamentation. Common additions to cut flower bouquets such as

most ferns, baby’s breath, and many ornamental grasses produced in Canada are

generally admissible.

Generally, you can bring cut flowers from Canada into the United States if they meet

the following conditions:
Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at the U.S. port of entry

determine that the flowers are free of pests and diseases and meet all entry

requirements. Some flowers that are not produced in Canada may have to meet

special requirements.

The flowers are not mixed with prohibited plant materials. These materials

require permits that are granted only under extremely limited circumstances.

To determine the entry status of other plant materials, and for more information

about entry or permit requirements, call USDA’s Plant Import Information Line at

877-770-5990 (toll free) or email us at plantproducts.permits@usda.gov.

Greenery

Due to the risk of transporting forest pests from Canada to the United States,

travelers cannot bring cut conifer trees, such as Christmas trees (white pine, Scotch

pine, Scots pine, fir, spruce, hemlock, and Douglas fir) across the border.

Requirements for boughs, wreaths, or garlands can vary greatly, depending on the

Canadian province of origin. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture

specialists at the U.S. port of entry will determine whether the greenery or plant

material is free of pests and diseases and meets all entry requirements.

Call USDA’s Plant Import Information Line at 877-770-5990 (toll free) or email us at

plantproducts.permits@usda.gov for more information about entry status or permit

requirements.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Travelers crossing a land border into the United States may bring, for personal

consumption, some (but not all) fresh fruits and vegetables that were grown on a

commercial orchard or farm in Canada, if all the conditions below are met and

confirmed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at the

border:

Produce is free of soil, pests, and diseases.

Produce variety is not listed as prohibited.
Traveler has sufficient documentation to clearly demonstrate that the item(s)

was grown in Canada and not just sold there. Sufficient documentation includes

sales receipts and individual stickers on produce or fruit and vegetable bags

commercially labeled as “Produce of Canada”. For produce purchased at a

commercial pick-your-own farm, you must have a dated receipt showing the

farm’s name and address.

Traveler is entering the United States during the Canadian growing season

(May 1–October 31) if produce is field grown. Field-grown produce presented for

inspection before or after that date range may be refused entry. However, fresh

cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, squash, and strawberries commercially labeled

as greenhouse grown in Canada may enter the United States year-round. Sea

buckthorn berries may also enter year-round.

Travelers may not bring U.S.-grown produce they previously took into Canada back

across the border unless the items are whole and still in their original packaging.

Any item listed as prohibited—such as citrus, tomatoes, or peppers—even if U.S.-

grown, may not re-enter the United States.

Home-grown

Home-grown or backyard-grown fruits and vegetables (as well as any produce

lacking a commercial label) grown in Canada are, in general, prohibited entry into

the United States, because in almost all cases there is no way to prove that the

produce was actually grown and harvested in Canada.

Exception: Home-grown fruits/vegetables of non-prohibited fruits and vegetables

may be allowed entry if the gardener arranges and pays for an onsite inspection of

their garden or orchard by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). CFIA may

then issue the travelling gardener a phytosanitary certificate certifying that the

produce was grown and harvested in Canada. For more information, contact the

Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Dried

Most fruits and vegetables grown in Canada that were commercially dried are

allowed entry into the United States. All such products must be declared and

presented at entry, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists

will make the final determination as to what products may enter.

Frozen
Travelers may bring certain commercially packaged frozen fruits and vegetables

grown in Canada if the product does not contain any meat products and is frozen

solid (that is, 20 degrees Fahrenheit or -6.6 degrees Celsius) when presented for

entry at the border. However, most produce varieties listed above as prohibited

when fresh (allium, citrus, peppers, tomatoes, etc.) are also prohibited when frozen.

All such products must be declared and presented at entry, and U.S. Customs and

Border Protection agriculture specialists will make the final determination as to what

products may enter.

Canned

Travelers may bring commercially canned fruits and vegetables (not containing any

meat products) into the United States. All such products must be declared and

presented at entry, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists

will make the final determination as to what products may enter.

Need More Information? Please contact us if you have questions or would like more

information about bringing items from Canada into the United States.

APHIS Directory